Willamette is one of the old school aroma hop varieties that everybody thinks they know, but do they really? Willamette was produced for decades largely for one big brewer who always took the cream of the crop. Anybody else who wanted it essentially took the rejects and leftovers. For that reason it might be worth taking a second look. Times have changed, craft brewers rule the roost and now Willamette is produced exclusively for them, which means some amazing quality Willamette hops available. Since acreage bottomed out several years ago, the Willamette variety is experiencing a new surge in popularity. Willamette can be fruity and floral, herbal and spicy. The flavors it can produce when used in a lager or ale are well known to many and produce amazingly clean fresh traditional beer-flavored beers. Their newfound popularity is leading to experimentation in a wide range of beer styles. We’d love to hear some of the new and interesting ways you decide to use Willamette.